MOOSE SENESCENCE RELATED TO TOOTH WEAR

Authors

  • Mary Hindelang
  • Rolf O. Peterson

Abstract

Tooth wear in moose (Alces alces) generally follows an age-related sequence. The enamel-dentine interface forms an intricate pattern representing the effective cutting edge of teeth. We measured the linear cutting edges of 6 mandibles from 9 wear classes from Isle Royale moose skeletal remains. We calculated cutting edge for each tooth and toothrow for all wear glasses, scaled to a constant toothrow length. Our results suggest that effective cutting surface increases until wear class V and then declines, consistent with progressive eruption and tooth wear. Late eruption of the third molar helps maintain a constant cutting edge for several years after older teeth have deteriorated. Senescence corresponds to the period of tooth decline.

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Published

1994-01-01

How to Cite

Hindelang, M., & Peterson, R. O. (1994). MOOSE SENESCENCE RELATED TO TOOTH WEAR. Alces, 30, 9–12. Retrieved from https://alcesjournal.org/index.php/alces/article/view/921

Issue

Vol. 30 (1994): Alces Vol. 30 (1994)

Section

Articles

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